Permanent signage is up at dd’s DISCOUNTS (18236 Contour Rd) in the Montgomery Village Plaza shopping center in Gaithersburg. The store will be located in the former space of Marshall’s, which relocated to Gaithersburg Square in 2021.  dd’s is owned and operated by Ross Stores, Inc and items for sale at its locations are similar to those found in other discount retailers. This will be the first dd’s location in Montgomery County.  While no opening date has been announced, the store is now hiring and construction on interior appears to be complete.

About: dd’s DISCOUNTS opened its first store in 2004 as the place to shop and save in your neighborhood. We’re part of the Ross Family, so our buyers know all about delivering great deals every day on clothing shoes home decor fashions toys and much, much more. We have the looks and brands you love at prices well below other retailers.


First Watch, a tenant of the Muddy Branch Square Shopping Center, located at 802 Muddy Branch Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, was granted a major sign waiver by the City of Gaithersburg to accommodate a second principal sign. The major waiver is needed to allow the replacement of the secondary signage that First Watch has utilized since they opened their location. Current code only allows one sign per business.

The proposed second principal sign consists of internally illuminated channel letters mounted to a finished backer panel, installed on existing roof brackets. First Watch is in the process of investing more than $100 thousand in the renovation of their Muddy Branch location in an effort to drive business to their restaurant. The renovation includes new signage, replacement awnings, and an updated interior for diners to enjoy.


Per Montgomery County: The 74th Annual Montgomery County Agricultural Fair, which calls itself “the nine best days of summer,” returns to the Montgomery County Agricultural Center in Gaithersburg with a full schedule of daily activities from Aug. 11-19. Among the special events are the Chesapeake DockDogs canine aquatics competition on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 11 and12, and truck drag racing on Monday, Aug. 14.

The fairgrounds are located at 506 Perry Parkway in Gaithersburg. Exhibitions of animals, outstanding farm products and photography are available throughout the fair. General admission is $15 for adults if bought on-site or $12 if bought online. Children 11-and-under are admitted free. There are several special admission days. Online tickets are available at https://mcagfair.com/general-information/tickets/. Tickets for rides, games and food are additional.  Parking is $15 on the fairgrounds property. However, free parking and shuttle bus service to the fairgrounds are available from nearby Lakeforest Mall, which is located at Lost Knife Road and Odenhal Avenue.


Gaithersburg-based Adventist HealthCare has presented four exceptional D.C. area nursing students with 2023 Lucy Byard Scholarships totaling $60,000. Adventist HealthCare launched the scholarship in 2022 to honor Lucy Byard and to help address economic, educational, and healthcare disparities. The 2023 Lucy Byard Scholarship recipients are:

All four students have overcome tremendous obstacles to achieve their dream of helping others and giving back to their communities through a career in healthcare. The Lucy Byard Scholarship will help ease the financial burden on the students as they complete their nursing training. After successfully completing their studies and passing a licensing exam, Adventist HealthCare offers the scholars the opportunity to join its caregiving team.


During its July 19, 2023 meeting, Gaithersburg’s Planning Commission recommended the City Council approve the annexation of the Walnut Hill Shopping center. The Montgomery County Planning Board reviewed the annexation at their July 13, 2023 meeting. The subject properties to be annexed are located northeast of MD Route 355 and include the Walnut Hill Shopping Center (plans available here) at 16531 South Frederick Avenue, a restaurant at 8941 North Westland Drive, a vacant parcel at 8939 North Westland Drive, and a portion of the right of way of North Westland Drive.

The Applicant, Granite Partners, has submitted Annexation Petition X-9510-2023, proposing to annex three parcels that currently abut the City boundary, along with a portion of the North Westland Drive right of way.  The Annexation Plan proposes several changes to the existing Walnut Hill Shopping Center, including constructing a new freestanding convenience store with accessory gasoline pumps, demolishing an existing small freestanding building on the south side of the property, renovating the exterior of the main shopping center building, and making improvements to the parking lot and landscaping.  No changes are proposed for the other two properties included in the Annexation Petition.


The Montgomery County Agricultural Fair has revised its safety/security measures for this year’s event, which takes place August 11th-19th. Per the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair: The Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds is private property and we do not recognize any state or federal issued Concealed or Open Carry Firearm Permit. The Fair is a Family Friendly event that provides agricultural education and entertainment to children of all ages. Carrying firearms, weapons, and inappropriate behavior are prohibited.

Patrons entering the Fairgrounds will pass through metal detectors at each of our General Admission entry gates. These units will be adjusted to detect prohibited weapons and allow timely passage without the need to empty backpacks or pockets. Keys, cell phones, coins and other common items are permissible and will not be detected. Please leave hard, protective sunglass cases home as the metal in these cases will trigger the alarm. Accommodations will be in place at each gate to permit passage of strollers, child carriers, electric mobility chairs and similar devices.


MegaMart appears to be close to opening at the former site of iconic MoCo restaurant, The Golden Bull. The Golden Bull closed its doors on February 17th, 2017. In 2019, construction crews began the demolition of the building to make room for the new 26,600 SF Megamart grocery store that will be moving across the street from its location at 401 N Frederick Ave in the Hudson Trail Center. After delays to to Covid, a lot of progress has been made (photos below).

Megamart is a regional grocery chain specializing in Latin items with about a dozen locations in the DMV. Some Megamart stores have additional services, such as gold sales, mobile phone repair, and sporting goods. An opening date is not yet available, but the exterior of the new store looks ready to go and Megamart trucks were parked outside. One major change for the new Gaithersburg store is that it will have its own dedicated parking lot– taking care of the parking issue that has often been brought up regarding the location across the street.


According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “After a bench trial today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, the honorable Bibi Berry found defendant, Davinder Singh, 47, of Gaithersburg, guilty of Homicide by Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol, and multiple related charges. Singh faces up to ten years in prison and $14,000 in fines. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 20th, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.

This stems from the Election Day collision on Tuesday, November 8th, 2022, that occurred on School Drive in Gaithersburg which caused the deaths of 65-year-old Miguel Antonio Ortiz and 70-year-old Ana Margarita Ortiz.  The married couple from Gaithersburg were crossing the street to vote at a school polling place. Assistant State’s Attorney Bryan Roslund is handling prosecution of this case.


Montgomery County’s first Sheetz, which will be located at 751 Progress Way in Gaithersburg, is now scheduled to open on Thursday, August 24. Gas pumps were recently installed at the site and signage is now up for its 24-hour drive-thru. In May we reported that Sheetz will also be opening a location in the Walnut Hill shopping center in Gaithersburg sometime in 2024. Sheetz rival Wawa has also recently ramped up the construction on its upcoming Gaithersburg store.

Sheetz is a gas station/convenience store that offers made to order food and has over 650 locations throughout Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. According to the company, Sheetz provides “kicked-up convenience while being more than just a convenience store. Sheetz is a mecca for people on the go. If you need to refuel your car or refresh your body, we have what you need to keep you moving on to whatever comes next.”


Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying two suspects who broke into a construction site and stole construction related equipment in the 10100 block of Washingtonian Boulevard in Gaithersburg– the site where The Carnegie at Washingtonian is being built, next to Life Time.

Per Gaithersburg Police: In July 2023, during the early morning hours, the two suspects entered the construction site and removed construction related equipment and electrical related property with a value of over $170,000. Detectives from the Gaithersburg Police – Investigative Section obtained surveillance video and photos of the suspects. Detectives describe suspect one as a male, thin build with short dark colored hair. The second suspect is a male with two distinguishing tattoos. The first tattoo is located on his left leg and the second tattoo is located on his right forearm.


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